I’ve long insisted that my spirit age—the age that most suits my personality and habits—is 52. I therefore do not view my rapidly approaching 40th birthday with the usual existential angst. It’s just another step closer to the age I’m meant to be.

But I do feel a complex cocktail of emotions about the ways in which my peers are marking that same venerable age. As a keen attendee of parties (and, whisper it, a content marketing professional), I have become something of an expert on the common pitfalls of marking a significant milestone—be it personal or professional.

So here, dear reader, are my tips for success, whether you want your milestone to bring people together, prompt introspection, or provide an opportunity for shameless self-promotion.

Milestones as an excuse to bring people together

The urge to gather your community is a noble one. And celebrating an achievement or an anniversary can be the perfect opportunity to host an event—or to publish a flagship piece of content to engage your company’s core audience.

But the details matter. I never wanted to drink and dance until dawn, and I certainly don’t want to now. My idea of a good time is not trying to control my over-sugared children while pretending to enjoy a “family friendly” event hosted by someone I haven’t seen in 20 years. And I’m yet to open a generic corporate email inviting me to celebrate some company’s 10th anniversary by watching a grainy video of their employees giving scripted answers on why they love their jobs.

If your aim is to build community, start by thinking carefully about who actually constitutes your community (or target audience). What will pique their interest? What will prompt them to send your email immediately to spam? Try to find the exact angle, location, activity, or story that will make them remember why they care about you and vow to reinvest in your relationship.

Milestones as an opportunity for introspection or a pivot

At almost 40, my peers and I are somewhere near the halfway point of our lives (if we’re lucky). And that midlife-crisis thing? Real. My social media timelines are awash with both those explicitly in search of their next act (“Hi LinkedIn friends! I just quit my job and moved countries in search of meaning. Any leads on apartments in Tijuana?”) and those trying to fill an unacknowledged gap in their lives with, well, sports cars.¹

If you’ve got a change in mind, I suggest asking yourself the following questions:

1. What, at the deepest level, is the problem I’m trying to solve? The right response to feeling a sense of dread every time you enter the office, for example, is probably not a new haircut.
2. Will my proposed solution suit my character, aims, and lifestyle? If the proposed haircut is bangs, for example, then no. No it will not. 
3. Who actually needs to know about this pivot, and how best can I communicate it? While a soft-lit Instagram post might be the right way to debut your new buzzcut (OK, maybe the bangs weren’t such a bad idea), a more significant personal or professional milestone will require more thought. Starting a new life as a yak herder? You might consider a thoughtful video blog that allows your audience to come along for the ride.

Milestones as an opportunity for shameless self-promotion

We’ve all witnessed it. Your host takes to the microphone, one too many cocktails down. They list every educational and professional prize they’ve won, from grade 1 spelling bee up, and then cast their eyes faux-bashfully to the floor. “And of course, hard to believe that I’ve achieved all this by the tender age of 25, all while raising my seven beautiful children and flock of rare chickens.”

Milestones can and should be an opportunity for celebrating our achievements. In a world that can sometimes feel heavy, we need to make space for the happy things. But if you want your milestone to be a moment of shared celebration—rather than the moment when your friends and family realize how insufferable you’ve become—try to abide by the following rules:

1. Make it authentic. Whether you’re organizing a party or sending out a mass email celebrating that you won an award, ensure that the tone, aesthetics, and execution reflect who you are as an individual (or company).
2. Make it about the team. They say it takes a village to raise a child. But it also takes a whole company to win awards—and even, presumably, some form of network to herd yaks. Your audience is more likely to root for you if you shine light on those who helped you along the way.
3. Make it fun. Humor and self-deprecation can be great ways to illustrate that you haven’t been drinking too much of your own Kool-Aid. And why throw yet another staid corporate event when you could be creating an immersive experience?

Now go forth and celebrate! And if your company is looking to mark a milestone and the above isn’t quite enough detail, why not drop us a line? We’d love to put together an event or content campaign that you and your audience will love.

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¹ While any consumerism could theoretically fill this role, cars do still seem to be the extravagant purchase of choice.